Written Answers Tuesday 25 January 2011

Scottish Executive

Care of Elderly People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it takes to ensure that older people in care homes are not given medication covertly.

Shona Robison: Under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, it is incumbent on the medical practitioner primarily responsible for the medical treatment of an adult to complete a section 47 certificate once they have established that the adult is incapable in relation to a decision about the medical treatment in question. Part 5 of the act, and certification under section 47, should not be used as justification for the administration of unwanted, unnecessary or potentially harmful medication whether such medication is given covertly or otherwise. Subsection 47(7) of the act prohibits the use of force or detention, unless it is immediately necessary in the circumstances.

  Covert medication is permissible in certain, but limited, circumstances: for example, if it is required to safeguard the health of an adult who is unable to consent to the treatment in question and where other alternatives have been explored and none are practicable. A revised code of practice on part 5 of the act was published by the Scottish Government in October 2010 and can be found on its website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/10/20153801/0. The Mental Welfare Commission has published guidance on this issue: Consent to Treatment and Covert Medication - a legal and practical guide are both available on the Mental Welfare Commission website at:

  http://www.mwcscot.org.uk/mwc_home/home.asp.

Care of Elderly People

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it takes to ensure that pharmacists visit care homes for older people to improve knowledge and understanding of medication management.

Shona Robison: Care home operators are responsible, as part of the package of care provided to residents, for medication supervision and support. It is the responsibility of each patient’s GP to ensure that medicines prescribed for each patient are appropriate. There is a provision for NHS boards to contract with community pharmacies to provide advisory services to residential homes. Each board negotiates local payments for these services.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the minutes of the December 2010 Curriculum for Excellence Management Board will be published.

Michael Russell: The minutes of Curriculum for Excellence Management Board meetings are published when they are agreed by the board. The minutes of the December 2010 meeting will be considered at the board’s next meeting which is scheduled for 10 February 2011.

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been reached on how many exams pupils will be able to sit in S4 under the Curriculum for Excellence.

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been reached on how many exams most pupils will be expected to sit in S4 under the Curriculum for Excellence.

Michael Russell: As the member is aware, there are no national prescriptions for the number of subjects pupils should be examined for in S4. The precise number and range of qualifications on offer, as well as when they are taken, will be a decision for schools to take in consultation with learners and parents. Schools will take into consideration how they can provide a variety of options to suit the needs of the learner rather than treating all S4 pupils as a uniform cohort. Several models developed by schools to illustrate emerging thinking on how the senior phase (S4-S6) could be delivered are available on the Curriculum for Excellence website, including school models which illustrate how five to eight subjects can be taken. The website address is www.ltscotland.org.uk .

Education

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance will be published on how many exams pupils will sit in S4 under the Curriculum for Excellence and, if so, when.

Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38794 on 25 January 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  The general approach to curriculum structures is provided in the following publications:

  Building the Curriculum 3: a framework for learning and teaching (published in 2008):

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/06104407/0.

  Curriculum for Excellence senior phase: management board discussion paper (published in 2009):

  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/09/23105948/6.

  Practitioner guidance/Q&A (published in 2010):

  www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/PractitionergroupQA_tcm4-637977.pdf.

  Illustrations of how the senior phase (S4-S6) could be delivered have been developed by schools and are available on the Learning and Teaching Scotland website at:

  www.ltscotland.org.uk/sharingpractice/s/curriculummodels/introduction.asp?strReferringChannel= buildingyourcurriculum&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-623319-64.

  This includes a model put forward by Charleston Academy which illustrates how seven or eight subjects can be studied.

Education

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the views expressed in the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Advice Paper (11-01): The Teaching of History in Scottish Schools that there should be a review of the teaching and learning resources for history in schools.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government rejects that view. Learners in Scotland have benefitted from a wide range of high-quality resources to support the learning and teaching of history which have been developed and approved in consultation with the history profession. The History in Curriculum for Excellence Group, established in 2008, informed the development of the excellent Scotland’s History online resource launched in October 2009 and resources on the new Higher History have been welcomed. Support from the Heritage Education Forum, Scran, Glow and other developments in recent years have made available resources and exciting learning experiences in and out of school across Scotland.

  Resources are kept under constant review and the History Excellence Group is developing further guidance for teachers and schools to provide learners with a more coherent experience of history from early years to senior phase as part of Curriculum for Excellence.

Education

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the decrease in the number of principal teachers of history in state-funded secondary schools.

Michael Russell: The organisation of schools is a matter for local authorities and head teachers. As more schools organise on a faculty basis, there has been a decrease in the number of principal teachers of history. This is not unique to history and advice from HM Inspectorate of Education suggests that principal teachers are seeking appropriate advice and collaborating with colleagues to plan courses that are coherent, relevant and engaging, with an appropriate place for history in the curriculum.

  In Scottish education, we encourage leadership at all levels. There may not be a principal teacher in history but that does not mean that there is nobody leading the subject.

Education

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns expressed in the Royal Society of Edinburgh’s Advice Paper (11-01): The Teaching of History in Scottish Schools that there is an insufficient balance of subject knowledge taught in some schools.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government rejects that conclusion. Curriculum for Excellence aims to raise standards for all young people through a more flexible, coherent and enriched curriculum. It is for schools and local authorities to ensure they get the right balance of subject knowledge within broad curricular guidance and drawing on available resources.

  Practitioners are empowered to make teaching of history relevant and engaging drawing on local, national and international contexts while maintaining a focus on changes that have shaped Scotland. The curriculum encourages deeper learning which may involve a smaller number of topics and the History Excellence Group is working to produce further guidance for teachers and schools to provide learners with a coherent experience of history from early years to senior phase.

Education

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the change has been in the number of (a) primary school teachers, (b) secondary school teachers and (c) classroom assistants in the North East of Scotland parliamentary region in each year since May 2007, also broken down by local authority area.

Michael Russell: The following tables give the changes in teachers and classroom assistants in the North East of Scotland parliamentary constituency, since the September 2006 school census.

  Primary

  

 
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


 Aberdeen City 
-56
-96
40
-20


 Aberdeenshire 
16
83
-19
29


 Angus 
14
5
-10
15


 Dundee City 
36
-16
3
-10


 Moray 
-3
-2
1
-1


 Perth and Kinross 
3
-3
2
-1


 NES PC 
11
-29
17
12



  Secondary

  

 
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


 Aberdeen City 
-6
-92
-15
-55


 Aberdeenshire 
22
10
-13
-13


 Angus 
2
4
7
-13


 Dundee City 
34
-119
82
-34


 Moray 
1
-1
-3
-3


 Perth and Kinross 
-
-
-
-


 NES PC 
53
-198
58
-118



  Classroom Assistants

  

 
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10


 Aberdeen City 
57
-4
36
17


 Aberdeenshire 
-20
-15
3
-1


 Angus 
167
-153
-8
4


 Dundee City 
26
-4
-27
18


 Moray 
-3
-26
2
0


 Perth and Kinross 
0
0
0
0


 NES PC
226
-202
6
38

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how Scotland scored in the latest OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, PISA 2009 Assessment Framework - Key Competencies in Reading, Mathematics and Science , for extracurricular reading and how this compares with the scores of other participants.

Michael Russell: There is a range of questions asked to pupils about extracurricular reading, with no one overall measure. The results of these are summarised on page 15 of the report PISA 2009, Highlights from Scotland’s Results available on the government website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00880.

  More detailed data is available in Volume III, annexes B1 and B2 of the OECD Report PISA 2009 Results: Learning to Learn which is available from the OECD website www.oecd.org/pisa or in the parliament library.

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how Scotland’s scoring for extracurricular reading in the latest OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, PISA 2009 Assessment Framework - Key Competencies in Reading, Mathematics and Science , compares with its results in previous PISA reports.

Michael Russell: There is a range of questions asked to pupils about extracurricular reading, with no one overall measure. The results of these are summarised on page 15 of the report PISA 2009, Highlights from Scotland’s Results available on the government website at:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00880.

  More detailed data are available in Volume III, annex B2 of the OECD Report PISA 2009 Results: Learning to Learn which is available from the OECD website www.oecd.org/pisa or in the parliament library.

  Reading was last assessed in detail in PISA in 2000. The results for reading engagement are published in Section 5 of the report PISA 2000 – Scotland Analysis, available on the government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/06/19464/38485.

Education

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to increase the levels of extracurricular reading among school-age children.

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it considers extracurricular reading to have in the context of improving literacy among school-age children.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government recognises the important role of extracurricular reading in the literacy development of young people. Our Literacy Action Plan, launched in October, sets out our vision to raise standards of literacy for all, from the early years through to adulthood. The plan recognises the importance of reading as a valued activity from an early age, and the social, educational, and familial benefits of reading in the home. We will continue to work with our partners to support measures to develop Scotland as a literate, reading nation.

  Within Curriculum for Excellence, reading is a key focus of the development of literacy skills, and the associated guidance indicates that young people should have opportunities to experience reading for enjoyment and interest at all stages.

  Through the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) early reading experiences are encouraged by the Bookbug book-gifting scheme, which includes the provision of a free book to all children in their first year of primary school. For financial year 2010-11, we have provided SBT with £1.05 million towards this scheme.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27388 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, how much complementary investment was secured for publicity and promotion of the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The £15 million budget for the Home Insulation Scheme was used to support a first phase of activity covering 95,000 houses in 10 local authority areas, together with a second phase of activity covering a further 85,000 houses in additional areas within those 10 local authority districts. Based on information provided by these local authorities, complementary investment of £76,593 was provided by local authorities for publicity and promotion of these schemes. This includes local authorities’ own estimates of the cash value of support that was provided in-kind.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27386 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, how many installations have been carried out under the Home Insulation Scheme.

Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) provides intensive promotion of a range of energy efficiency programmes and related support to householders on the door-step in specific areas to assist in tackling climate change and fuel poverty and increase Carbon Emissions Reduction Target investment in Scotland. In addition to insulation measures, HIS ensures that households in targeted areas are also systematically offered:

  Energy efficiency advice linked to Home Energy Checks;

  Benefits and tariff checks to increase incomes and tackle fuel poverty (through the Energy Assistance Package (EAP));

  Heating systems and other measures (through EAP, where households are eligible), and

  Interest free loans for more expensive energy efficiency measures, for example, in hard to treat properties.

  There were 14,416 installations of Home Insulation Scheme insulation measures in the period to 5 December 2010. Reports providing an overview of all Home Insulation Scheme activity, including referrals to other programmes and support are published monthly on the Energy Saving Trust website at http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have had insulation measures installed that were (a) fully and (b) partly paid for under the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10.

Alex Neil: The breakdown is as follows :

  (a) 10,581 households had at least one insulation measure installed that was fully paid for under the Home Insulation Scheme (HIS).

  (b) 3,020 households had at least one insulation measure installed that was partly paid for under HIS.

  These figures are based on delivery as at 5 December 2010, within HIS areas funded from 2009-10 budgets. A household may have had both a partly paid and a fully paid measure installed; if so, the household will be counted in both of the above figures.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27381 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, what proportion of contributions toward the cost of insulation measures in rented accommodation under the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 was received from (a) tenants and (b) landlords.

Alex Neil: This information is not held centrally.

  No client contribution is required for loft insulation top-ups provided under the Home Insulation Scheme. In the case of virgin loft and cavity wall insulation, if the tenant of a private landlord is within a priority group under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme then no client contribution is required.

  Client contributions are required for virgin loft and cavity wall insulation measures where the household is not in a priority group under CERT. These contributions are collected by installers and while a sample of payments is checked for audit purposes information on the extent of client contributions is not systematically collected from installers by the managing agent.

  The anticipation is that private landlords will normally pay any financial contribution towards the cost of insulation measures in cases where such a contribution is required. However, the tenant would be given the option to pay this contribution if the landlord refused to do so.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27379 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, in what areas the Universal Home Insulation Scheme will be deployed in 2010-11 and what proportion of the population resides in those areas.

Alex Neil: Participating areas were announced on 6 October 2010. Details are as follows:

  

Local Authority
Properties
Area


Aberdeen City
8,700
Torry, Nigg and Cove


Aberdeenshire
5,590
Fraserburgh


Argyll and Bute
2,345
Milton and Ardenslate, Dunoon


Dundee
727
Watson Street, Wellgate, Crescent Lane, Hilltown West


East Ayrshire
5,500
Rural West Kilmarnock


East Dunbartonshire
3,000
Within East Dunbartonshire (to be targeted via thermal imaging)


East Lothian
6,100
Musselburgh


East Renfrewshire
1,789
Barrhead, Busby, Clarkston, Giffnock, Neilston, Thornliebank


Edinburgh
5,920
Tollcross


Eilean Siar
10,450
Lewis and Harris


Falkirk
3,000
Stenhousemuir, Larbert and Rural North Falkirk


Fife
24,000
Dunfermline


Glasgow
6,740
Dennistoun and Kelvindale


Highland
12,458
Badenoch & Strathspey, East Sutherland and Edderton and Skye


Inverclyde
2,000
Upper Port Glasgow


Midlothian
506
Pathhead


Moray
260
Forres


North Ayrshire
4,443
Stevenston


North Lanarkshire
564
Salsburgh


Renfrewshire
9,462
Paisley (south)


Orkney
25
Westray, Sanday, Stronsay, Eday, Rousay, Shapinsay, Hoy, Ronaldsay


Perth and Kinross
6,000
Highland Perthshire


Scottish Borders
5,967
Tweedale


South Ayrshire
4,963
Annbank, Coylton, Mossblown, Tarbolton, Dundonald, Loans and Symington


South Lanarkshire
4,240
Various – based on specific property types


Stirling
2,431
Cultenhove, Cowie, Fallin, Raploch


West Dunbartonshire
2,145
Alexandria


Total
139,325
 



  The number of participating properties is around 6% of the Scottish housing stock.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-27376 and S3W-27375 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, what additional external partners were selected to help deliver the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10.

Alex Neil: Home Insulation Scheme Area
Successful Bidder


Glasgow/ South Lanarkshire
Solas


Edinburgh
EAGA/Scottish Power


Stirling
EAGA/Scottish Power


Fife
EAGA/Scottish Power


Dundee
Miller Pattison


Angus
Miller Pattison


Highland 1
Miller Pattison


Highland 2
Miller Pattison


Western Isles
Miller Pattison


Orkney
Insta Group

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27372 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, whether it achieved its target date by which it aimed to insulate all hard-to-treat homes eligible under the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 and, if so, to what minimum standard the work was completed.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27371 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, whether it achieved its target date for insulating all homes eligible under the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 and, if so, to what minimum standard these homes were insulated and by what date the work was completed.

Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) achieved its target of ensuring that all dwellings in the identified areas were visited and free or discounted loft and cavity wall insulation measures and other services, where appropriate, offered to those households which it was possible to contact after three visits.

  Our draft report on proposals and policies sets out a series of milestones for Scottish homes. This includes for every home to have loft and cavity wall insulation, which is cost-effective and technically feasible by 2020.

  Installers under the HIS are contractually obliged to comply with British and European insulation standards and best practice guidelines.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27369 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, what proportion of the £15 million allocated to the Home Insulation Scheme in its first year was spent on (a) insulation materials, (b) labour costs to install insulation, (c) publicity and promotion and (d) administration.

Alex Neil: The breakdown is as follows :

  Percentage of Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) 2009-10 Budget Allocated

  

Category
 


A/B - insulation materials/labour1
35%


C – publicity and promotion
3%


D – administration2
7%



  Notes:

  1. Information is not collected on the breakdown between labour and materials costs. Includes enabling fund to assist in installation costs, e.g. loft clearance, reduction of installation costs in island areas. Does not include funding for insulation measures funded under CERT or from householder contributions.

  2. Covers central managing agent staff and IT.

  The remainder of the HIS 2009-10 budget has been allocated to support delivery costs (48%) which covers the costs incurred by the Energy Saving Scotland Advice Centres in providing and managing teams of energy assessors to engage with households living in the 180,000 houses in the HIS areas covered by the 2009-10 programme in order to generate uptake of insulation measures and provide services on the door step. This included the delivery of services such as energy efficiency advice, home energy checks and referrals to a range of energy efficiency and fuel poverty programmes. The remaining 7% of the budget is allocated to provision of other energy efficiency measures, including loans.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27367 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, how many households were eligible to receive free insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme in the areas selected for 2009-10 and what proportion of households in those areas this represented.

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27367 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, how many households were eligible to receive reduced-cost insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme in the areas selected for 2009-10 and what proportion of households in those areas this represented.

Alex Neil: All private sector households in Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) areas are eligible to receive free loft insulation top-ups. Households will be offered such insulation if their homes require it and are suitable to take this measure.

  Eligibility for virgin loft and cavity wall insulation within HIS areas is determined by the UK Government’s Carbon Emissions Reductions Target (CERT) scheme. Under that scheme, households assessed as priority are generally eligible for free virgin loft and cavity wall insulation. Some households in larger properties may be asked to pay a charge for excess meterage. Households are priority under CERT if they are in receipt of certain benefits or over 70 years of age. Other households are assessed as able to pay and therefore eligible for measures at reduced cost. Households will be offered such insulation if their homes require it and are suitable to take this measure.

  Based on analysis of activity in HIS areas supported under Scottish Government 2009-10 budgets, approximately 38% of households in those areas would be assessed as priority under CERT criteria, with the remaining 62% regarded as being able to pay. On a pro-rata basis, this would indicate that approximately 70,000 households in HIS areas would be assessed as a priority case under CERT, with the remaining 110,000 households being classed as able to pay for these measures.

  These figures should be regarded as a rough estimate only as it is not known whether or not the profile of households that engaged and is reflected in this analysis is fully representative of the household profile in the area as a whole.

Energy Efficiency

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27366 by Alex Neil on 24 September 2009, what proportion of the work under the Home Insulation Scheme in 2009-10 covered hard-to-treat properties.

Alex Neil: Loft and cavity wall insulation, which is prioritized under the UK Government’s Carbon Emissions Reductions Target scheme is the main focus of insulation measures under the Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) and is not appropriate for many hard-to-treat homes. However, within HIS areas, owners of hard to treat properties have been offered support to install such measures where these are appropriate. For example, properties that are of solid brick or stone walled construction, or those with timber frame cavities, are normally regarded as hard to treat, but may require measures such as loft insulation. On this basis, 32% of HIS insulation measures have been installed in hard to treat properties.

  Owners of hard to treat properties in HIS areas have also been assisted in a range of other ways, including through energy efficiency advice, benefits and tariff checks to increase incomes and tackle fuel poverty (through the Energy Assistance Package), heating systems and other measures (through the Energy Assistance Package, where households are eligible) and interest free loans for more expensive energy efficiency measures.

Forestry Commission

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) initial estimated cost was and (b) current forecast cost is of the development of the new Forestry Commission visitor centre at Glentress, Peebles.

Roseanna Cunningham: Initial cost estimates were based on a small scale re-development of the existing facilities budgeted at approximately £2 million. This was based on an upgrade of the existing facilities at the Osprey Car Park. This would significantly have reduced car park capacity and caused disruption to business.

  The current forecast for the new Glentress Peel Project stands at £8.5 million. This final forecast cost for the project includes the purchase of the new 12 acre site, the design and build of four new purpose built sustainable buildings (café, bike shop, service building with offices and meeting rooms including a woodfuel heating system, wildlife viewing with interpretation, changing, showers and toilets), additional car parking and significantly improved access from the A72. The project is within the approved budget and timetable.

Forestry Commission

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many visitors the Forestry Commission visitor centre at Glentress, Peebles, has had and how many of these were mountain bikers, in each of the last five years.

Roseanna Cunningham: The amount of visitors to the Forestry Commission visitor centre at Glentress, Peebles in each of the last five years is listed in the following table.

  

Financial Year
Total Visits
Mountain Biker Visits (3)
Comments on Vehicle Data


2005-06
222,000
104,000
Count (1)


2006-07
234,000
110,000
Count (1)


2007-08
248,000
117,000
Count (1)


2008-09
266,000
125,000
Estimate (2)


2009-10
301,000
141,000
Estimate (2)



  Notes:

  1. Data sourced from induction loop vehicle counter with a calibration sample survey to determine vehicle occupancy (figures are rounded up).

  2. Counter removed from Glentress Forest access road during construction of new road junction and access as part of the new development. The estimated figures are based on an extrapolation of historic figures informed by recent monthly data from new counter on new access road from part of calendar year 2010.

  3. Estimated breakdown of purpose of visit determined by "All Forests" visitor survey undertaken in 2004-05.

Forestry Commission

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vehicles used, and how much revenue was raised by, the car park at the Forestry Commission visitor centre at Glentress, Peebles, in each of the last five years.

Roseanna Cunningham: The amount of vehicles and revenue raised at the Forestry Commission visitor centre and car park at Glentress, Peebles in each of the last five years is listed in the following table.

  

Year
Number of Vehicles
Revenue
Comments on Vehicle Data


2005-06
101,000
49,000
Count (1)


2006-07
106,000
56,000
Count (1)


2007-08
113,000
59,000
Count (1)


2008-09
114,000
84,000
Estimate (2)


2009-10
120,000
103,000
Estimate (2)



  Notes:

  1. Data sourced from induction loop vehicle counter (figures are rounded up).

  2. Counter removed from Glentress Forest access road during construction of new road junction and access as part of the new development. The estimated figures are based on an extrapolation of historic figures informed by recent monthly data from new counter on new access road during calendar year 2010.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-37637 by Kenny MacAskill on 2 December 2010, whether there has been a change to the mid-2013 target date for the Gartcosh crime campus to be fully operational.

Kenny MacAskill: No.

Justice

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted for shoplifting in each of the last three years have reoffended within a year of conviction.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is provided in the following table.

  One Year Reconviction Rates for Offenders Receiving a Community Sentence/Released from a Custodial Sentence for Shoplifting: 2005-06 to 2007-08

  

2005-06
 


Number of Offenders
3,761


Number Reconvicted
2,149


% Reconvicted
57.1%


2006-07
 


Number of Offenders
3,999


Number Reconvicted
2,261


% Reconvicted
56.5%


2007-08
 


Number of Offenders
3,898


Number Reconvicted
2,156


% Reconvicted
55.3%



  Note: 1. Re-offending rates cannot be measured directly since not all offences result in prosecution and conviction. Instead, reconviction rates are used as a proxy measure of the rate of re-offending.

Mental Health

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34012 by Shona Robison on 14 June 2010, whether it will seek to hold a debate on Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy before the dissolution of the Parliament in March 2011.

Shona Robison: We will seek to hold a debate on Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy before the dissolution of Parliament.

Mortality

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the CHI identifier will be a compulsory field in any new death certificate.

Shona Robison: There are no plans for the CHI to be a compulsory field in the proposed revised medical certificate of cause of death. Certifying doctors will be asked to provide the number where it is available to them to help with the efficient management of their patient’s record.

Older People

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-38215 by Nicola Sturgeon on 16 December 2010, by what means people can find these helpline numbers other than through the internet.

Shona Robison: That answer referred to the Care Information Scotland helpline, the Scottish Helpline for Older People and the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland Hotline.

  These helplines are well aware their users often do not have access to the internet, and target their advertising accordingly. They advertise their helpline numbers through leaflets and posters distributed and displayed in public places such as libraries, GPs surgeries, and other community settings; through their own publications and mailings; and through awareness raising by attending local events and in talks to the likes of older people’s groups.

  In addition, the Scottish Helpline for Older People is in every Yellow Pages directory in Scotland (directories have different categories, so advertisements appear under Advice and Information or Counselling or Helplines). The Home Energy Scotland Hotline has current broad coverage over radio and TV, and over 100,000 Scottish households are being sent letters promoting its phone number in 2010-11.

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the creation of a single Scottish police force.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its position before 5 May 2011 on the creation of a single Scottish police force.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38563 on 24 January 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive  how many prisoners have absconded from HMP (a) Noranside and (b) Castle Huntly in each of the last 10 years.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  (a) The number of absconds and failures to return at Noranside are as follows:

  

 
From Establishment
From Work Party
From Placement
From 
Licence
Total


2009-10
 
 
 
2
2


2008-09
2
 
 
5
7


2007-08
4
 
 
5
9


2006-07
2
 
 
11
13


2005-06
18
 
1
7
26


2004-05
11
 
 
16
27


2003-04
6
 
 
8
14


2002-03
2
 
 
3
5


2001-02
10
 
 
8
18


2000-01
6
2
 
11
19



  (b) The number of absconds and failures to return at Castle Huntly are as follows:

  

 
From Establishment
From Work Party
From Placement
From
Licence
Total


2009-10
2
 
 
6
8


2008-09
 
 
 
9
9


2007-08
34
 
 
25
59


2006-07
44
 
 
22
66


2005-06
28
 
1
8
37


2004-05
22
 
3
19
44


2003-04
22
 
 
14
36


2002-03
28
 
 
12
40


2001-02
11
 
2
3
16


2000-01
12
 
 
12
24